Measurements of Rapid Density Fluctuations in the Solar Wind

Measurements of Rapid Density Fluctuations in the Solar Wind

The power spectrum of density fluctuations in the solar wind is inferred by tracking small timescale changes in the electron plasma frequency during periods of strong Langmuir wave activity. STEREO electric field waveform data are used to produce time profiles of plasma density from which the densit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal Vol. 711; no. 1; pp. 322 - 327
Main Authors: Malaspina, D. M, Kellogg, P. J, Bale, S. D, Ergun, R. E
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States IOP Publishing 01-03-2010
Subjects:
ANISOTROPY
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
DATA ANALYSIS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
FREQUENCY RANGE
LANGMUIR FREQUENCY
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA DENSITY
POWER DENSITY
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPECTRA
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR WINDS
TURBULENCE
WAVE FORMS
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Summary:The power spectrum of density fluctuations in the solar wind is inferred by tracking small timescale changes in the electron plasma frequency during periods of strong Langmuir wave activity. STEREO electric field waveform data are used to produce time profiles of plasma density from which the density power spectrum is derived. The power spectra obtained by this method extend the observed frequency range by an order of magnitude while remaining consistent with previous results near a few Hertz. Density power spectral indices are found to be organized by the angle between the local magnetic field and the solar wind direction, indicating significant anisotropy in solar wind high-frequency density turbulence.
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ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/711/1/322